By Ananya Nrusimha
I must have been around 9 or 10 when I picked up Marvel’s Civil War for the first time. It was the first superhero comic book I’d ever seen—up until then, I’d been obsessively reading ultimate guides about superheroes. I couldn’t stop gazing at its glossy pages and its smooth, slick-looking cover. Civil War is a huge source of nostalgia for me; I can’t count the number of times I’ve read and reread it over the years.
But why is Civil War, an eight year old comic, relevant in 2014? It’s been announced that the third Captain America movie (and several subsequent Marvel movies will be based off of it. Before you head to the movie theater, checking the source material out certainly can’t hurt.
Civil War has a huge cast of characters. You don’t need to be familiar with them to know what’s going on (I certainly wasn’t when I first read it) but it helps. In addition to Marvel Cinematic Universe staples like Captain America and Iron Man, the Fantastic Four and Spiderman are also key players. Maria Hill (who was a minor character in The Avengers and has appeared in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D) is a driving force in the story. I don’t believe Black Widow, Hawkeye, or the Hulk appear in the story. Thor had died before Civil War was published (he was resurrected later) so a clone of Thor takes his place here. If you ever get confused, go to a database like marvel.wikia.com or comicvine.com.
Civil War’s plot and writing are easily its highlights. In the wake of a disaster engendered by reckless superheroes, the government decides to regulate all superhero activity and force costumed crimefighters to make their identities public. Some (like Iron Man) believe this will increase accountability among superheroes while others (like Captain America) believe superheroes need secrecy and privacy to do their job. Both sides clash in a series of scuffles over the future of superheroes.
As its title implies, Civil War’s power lies in the divisiveness of its premise. One law drives a wedge through the entire community; brother turns on brother and spouse turns on spouse. The characters’ reactions to the law are fascinating; the authors create an intricate tapestry of character interactions that sells the tense atmosphere of the series beautifully. The solid art supports the story well even though it doesn’t really stand out on its own.
Obviously, I’m looking at this story through rose-tinted glasses, but I think it’s a really fascinating comic that’s worth reading. It’ll be interesting to see how these characters interact on screen when Captain America 3 comes out, but it’ll be almost impossible for the writers and actors to truly represent the magnitude and intricacy of the comic. If you like Marvel movies and their characters or you’re just looking for a good story, Marvel’s Civil War is for you. It’s gritty and fast-paced—the perfect recipe for a great read.
